”Mandla! I’m going up ahead of you, hurry up!”

A strange, deep voice was calling back to his comrade, with the both of them carrying a scimitar on their backs. These were of foreign appearances, darker in their skin tones and of similar heritage to Desiertans and Savannans. Behind the greenery that coated this island’s jungle ecosystem, they exited a tight but populated village hidden away from the rest of civilization, caring for themselves and for those who descended from them. Right now, however, they had heard commotions further away – their guardians could hear strangers’ voices echoing from deep within the distant woods, and they had warned the swordsmen of these foreigners. Being as isolated as they were, they did not expect the utmost of kindness from just any and all strangers who visited them, so their choice was to send these two guardians out to survey and interrogate the sources of these voices.

“Hey, Njabulo, don’t be hasty! What if they’re magicians?! Wait for me…!” the other swordsman warned his pal before running up to him. His own scimitar was larger, so he needed a bit of extra time to thoroughly tie it to his back before exiting the village. Once they were both out, the search began…

…

The egg in Kerii’s hands… it was glowing, still. Although, its glow had faded gradually ever since they began their journey to this island. It was like a ticking clock, ticking down the time they had left before the bird would breathe for the last time. And as if things weren’t stressful enough for the poor Kerii…

“Intruders! We give you one chance to state your inten-“

The two swordsmen walked out from the bushes to meet the scenery – a bunch of leveled ground and a blonde elven beauty with a large, deep-red egg in her embrace. Accompanying her was an avian creature of northern origins, which left the two swordsmen curious.

“… Olwethu heard more than one voice. Where are the others?” Mandla spoke up, quickly approaching the elf with less than friendly intentions, “If this is some kind of trap, then I will make sure you regret tricking us-“

“… Wait… why are our grave offerings spilled all over the ground?” Njabulo commented, taking a look around the area where the other treasure hunters had been causing a ruckus before, “Is this your doing?”

WC: 396

… It was a very strange story told from the mouth of this foreigner. Her friend had died from sickness, and she had come here to bring him back… wait… if she wanted to bring her friend back to life, did that mean that she knew about the Quatzaaba? The Phoenix? Listen, that was a very discreet knowledge that the inlanders had no chance of spreading outside of the island – how on earth did this elf know of all of this…?

Mandla was in deep thought. He knew that there were still a few, lost members of their tribe who split from the group all those years ago – maybe they had relocated somewhere else in the mainland of Fiore, where their legends had been spread among the citizens. That was the most liable explanation for this elf knowing about the Phoenix to begin with-

Mandla just now noticed that she was holding a crimson, warm egg. His eyes widened at the sight, but it wasn’t a glare of anger that was aimed at Kerii. “I-Is that… the Quatzaaba? H-How come it’s in your possession?”

“Brother, have you gone nuts? There’s no way-“

“I recognize those patterns from the scriptures, Njabulo! If it’s transformed into an egg, then… something must’ve happened to the Quatzaaba. This is not normal!”

Taking another look around the area, Mandla would once again lock eyes with the blonde fay. “You did say that you apprehended unwelcome intruders before, right? I don’t take you for a manipulating wretch, you don’t have that kind of menace in your eyes… but if I happen to be wrong, then you won’t get away with fooling us. For now, follow us back to our village – now. The elder might know what’s going on with Quatzaaba’s present form,” he began to explain to her, understanding of her situation and yet harshly neutral on his standing. He decided to take her words for truth, while Njabulo drilled holes into her back in pure confusion.

Mandla would make his way back to the village without further warning. It was in Kerii’s best interest to follow him and Njabulo, before any other reckless grave robber made their appearance.

The village was… unorthodox. One would think that most villages hidden in rainforests would build their homes out of wood and branches, y’know, the most abundant building materials in the area, but they had all their houses and statues built out of grey granite. Everyone would be glaring at the newcomer, some thinking her to be imprisoned by the two guardians. If Kerii took a look around, she’d see many exotic occupations; jewelry made of colorful feathers and gold, spicy boar meat being cooked over open fires, loads of beans being harvested and new houses in the middle of construction. It was a busy, big village that looked as old as time itself.

One of the houses who were located at the end of the dry road housed a very important woman. The oldest villager here, and the one who knew what had come to happen. Upon entering the domed house, all three - or four, including Coda herself – would spot the elder lady garmented in several layers of purple and brown cloths, adorning golden rings around her wrists and bangs. She was of a very short build, but she walked steadily and yet in distress.

“Zenzele! We have brought a foreigner to you- w-why are you so distraught?” Njabulo asked in worry, noticing the sweat falling from the old matriarch’s forehead. She would clear her throat and turn around to eye the fertile beauty for a brief moment, lamenting her long-lost days of rejuvenation… but there was a grave issue at hand.

“Abakabuyi, Njabulo… futhi ngaphezu kwalokho, ubani lo mlandeli? [1]” Zenzele asked him sternly, pointing a crooked nail at the elf. Njabulo would nod towards Mandla and let him talk in that same, foreign language of theirs, trying to reveal to their elder that the lady here had come with what he believed was the egg containing Quatzaaba itself. She had called it her ‘friend’ and was likely, in Mandla’s eyes, trying to bring the bird of fire back to resurrect a deceased comrade of hers… or something along those lines. Mandla did not know the exact circumstances of Kerii’s mission, but that was what he assumed. Zenzele scoffed in disbelief at first, until she saw the egg in Kerii’s arms…

“… Sekuyisikhathi, kakade?! Emakhulwini amahlanu eminyaka, leyonyoni ecwengiwe yilanga yayizulazula esibhakabhakeni ngaphezu komhlaba, ilangazelela ukuqala kabusha… [2]” she began blabbering in panic, “Kodwa kanjani ukuthi iqanda lapha futhi manje?! [3]”

Mandla would explain to her that her friend, the friend of this elf lady, had some kind of magic… that originated on this island. Both of them were confused about this statement, since they had not yet associated her friend with this Quatzaaba just as much yet. Anyway, to save her friend, she had come here with the egg of the Phoenix itself, and the elder lady knew where the elf was going… to their newly built temple. The Quatzaaba’s nest was still located at the peak of the temple’s outpost, where it would start its life anew.

But there was a looming issue located at the hill where the temple was located. For now, the elder lady eyed Kerii directly and spoke: “Bengithi inyoni izoziveza yodwa...ufunani ngempela ntombi? Usuhambe ibanga elide kangaka ukuze uzosiza umngane, nokho uzinyathele esiqhingini sethu uwedwa? Hwo mayelana nawe vela uhlanzeke kimi ungichazele. [4]” It was clear to Mandla that the elder lady didn’t exactly buy the story that she was told, so unless Kerii hurried up and explained everything in detail to Mandla, so that he could convey it to the lady, then she would get nowhere…

In the meantime, a looming thundercloud was hanging above the hill further away. Something absolutely wicked was occurring as they spoke.

WC: 980

OOC: Translations:

[1] The sentence roughly translates to “They haven’t come back, Njabulo… and moreso, who is this outlander?”

[2] The sentence roughly translates to “It is time, already?! For five centuries, that sun-hallowed bird roamed the skies above Earthland, yearning to start anew.”

[3] The sentence roughly translates to “But how come she’s holding the egg here and now?!”

[4] The sentence roughly translates to “I thought that the bird would show up on its own... what exactly are you after, young girl? Have you come this far to help a friend, yet you tread into our island alone? Hwo about you come clean to me and explain.”